Tim Hudson vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Hudson (1999–2015) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Hudson compiled 222 wins and 2,080 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Tim Hudson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Tim Hudson | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 222 | 143 |
| Losses | 133 | 91 |
| Games | 482 | 328 |
| Games Started | 479 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 26 | 29 |
| Shutouts | 13 | 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,080 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 917 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,957 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 248 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,126 | 2,156 |
| ERA | 3.49 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.99 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.64 | 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee edges Tim Hudson 41,719 to 40,402 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 2,377 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Tim Hudson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tim Hudson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Cliff Lee owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tim Hudson. Note that PIV actually grades Cliff Lee ahead, which means Tim Hudson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.